Black bean, jalapeno and corn chowder; walnut, acorn squash and kale empanada with mango salsa and taco salad; banana and avocado brulee

Black bean, jalapeno and corn chowder ( soup stock, white potato, sweet potato, garlic, ginger) garnished with cilantro and chili powder. Corn chowder is very common in Illinois, although it usually have other vegetables instead of black beans.

Walnut, acorn squash and kale empanada (vidalia onions, garlic, ginger, nutritional yeast, turmeric, sea salt, black pepper) with mango salsa and taco salad (I didn't make the salad or the salsa, but both were very good and went really well with the richness of the empanada). I ground the walnuts and roasted squash and then minced the kale and onions to make a sort of cheese and kale filling. With the squash added, the texture was very light and creamy (surprisingingly so).

Banana and avocado brulee (walnuts, agave syrup, vanilla, pinch of sea salt).

Red beans and quinoa with roasted dinosaur kale, sweet potatoes and cauliflower in a tangerine walnut sauce

Red beans and quinoa with roasted dinosaur kale, sweet potatoes and cauliflower (evoo/flax oil, vegetable stock, ginger) in a tangerine walnut sauce.

For the sauce:
1/2 cup of walnuts
Juice of one tangerine
Half of the tangerine peel (all of the peel, not just the zest)
1 cup of water
Sea salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
Blend on high speed until liquefied.

Peanut butter, mango and romano bean chili and walnut cheese over brown rice

Peanut butter, mango and romano bean chili (garlic, cumin, paprika, coconut, liquid smoke, cremini mushrooms, vidalia onion, flat leaf parsley, spinach, jalapeno pepper, evoo/flax oil, tomato paste, lime juice, vegetable stock) and walnut cheese over brown rice.

Chili and cheese is a very popular combination in the midwest where I grew up. This dish had a great mouth feel and an excellent flavour. Coconut and mango add a rich undertone to anything spicy, and the walnut cheese added just the right richesse to the dish overall.

For the walnut cheese:

1/2 cup of walnuts ground until they start to get buttery
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons of plain soy yogurt
1 tablespoon of turmeric
Sea salt to taste

Pineapple and red pepper salad; roasted zucchini, artichokes and rhubarb with walnut ginger coulis; tamari, tahini spaghetti; mango raspeberry sorbet

Pineapple, red pepper and scallion salad (canola oil, sea salt) with peanut, tamari and miso dressing.

Roasted zucchini, artichokes and rhubarb with walnut ginger coulis (nutritional yeast, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, sugar, stevia, chipotle). The walnut, ginger and rhubarb were all good. The zucchini didn't have enough flavour to hold up its end. Next time, it'll probably be mushrooms instead of zucchini.

Brown rice spaghetti with tamari, tahini and ginger bechamel with sun dried tomatoes and Italian parsley (all I did was plate this one, but it was delicious!).

Mango, pineapple raspeberry sorbet.

The wine was Clos de Los Siete.

Endive with zucchini, caper and walnut mousse dusted with paprika; fusilli with vegan chicken and peppers in a walnut and nutrional yeast veloute

Dinner 30 April 2007.



Endive with roasted zuchini, caper and walnut mousse (black pepper, sea salt, chili) dusted with paprika.

Whole wheat fusilli with vegan chicken (Yves brand strips), red and green pepper, button mushrooms, and red onion in a walnut and nutrional yeast veloute (walnuts, nutritional yeast, black pepper, whole wheat flour, vegan margarine, veggie stock, oregano, garlic).

Red pepper, grapefruit, date and spinach salad; barbecued tofu riblets, sweet potato and scallion mash, and grilled asparagus

Dinner 27 April 2007.


Red pepper, grapefruit, date and spinach salad dressed in evoo/flax oil, sea salt, grapefruit juice, black pepper and jalapeno.

Barbecued tofu riblets (tofu, pomegranate juice, tomato, black pepper, chili, cumin, paprika, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt), sweet potato and scallion mash (evoo, wine vinegar, cardamom, sea salt, black pepper), and grilled asparagus (evoo, black pepper, sea salt).

Appearing as a digestif this time around, a new favourite of mine, a screwdriver. Heaven help me. I think I may have a crush on this drink.

Basil, grape tomato amuse bouche; date, caper and sundried tomato salad; yellow tomato pomodoro e cipolini served with matzoh crackers

Dinner 26 April 2007.

An homage to the tomato, featuring an amuse bouche of grape tomatoes wrapped in basil leaf with evoo, sea salt, wine vinegar and nutritional yeast, a salad of minced dates, caper and sundried tomatoes dressed with lemon, evoo, and sea salt and a yellow tomato pomodoro e cipolini salad dressed with fresh basil, evoo, wine vinegar, black pepper and sea salt.

The wine was Botter's Nero d'Avola.

Raw pomegranate, walnut and tomato soup; green peppers with raw pepita, walnut and mango pate; raw mushroom, basil and red onion salad; hot dog

Dinner 19 April 2007.


Raw pomegranate, walnut and tomato soup (evoo, garlic, sea salt, black pepper with red onion and basil garnish).
Green peppers with raw pepita, walnut and mango pate (nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic, red onion).
Raw mushroom, basil and red onion salad (evoo, sea salt, jalapeno pepper).
Yves-brand Italian sausage on whole wheat bun.

Fesenjan with grilled vegan chicken over brown basmati rice and grilled broccoli and pear with vegan cheese sauce

Dinner 30 March 2007. Fesenjen with grilled vegan chicken (Yves brand vegan chicken skewers, pomegranate juice, sea salt, garlic, onion, walnuts, chipotle, mint) and grilled broccoli and pear with vegan cheese sauce (vegan margarine, sea salt, rice wine vinegar, tabasco, nutritional yeast). Another vegan recipe for fesenjan (with actual measurements) is available at Vegan Eats and Treats.


Apertif: Pomtini at twilight (Grey Goose vodka cut with pomegranate juice).
Wine: Sonop Organic Terroir Shiraz
Digestif: Cognac and espresso.